The Four Pillars
by Thesus 112
Summary: In an ocean of islands, far from home, Tom, an 11 year old boy, is stranded with many other kids on an island, in the middle of the south pacific, where they discover another tribe of kids that have been there ever since 2009...
1. Prologue

Note: This book is something of my own in a way, but a little more of something inspired by The Lord of the Flies. It will have its own twist to it though, including the end of civilization and the survival of the persons on the island, who are the only ones who do not get hit by the war, but I'm giving away the story by telling this to you so enjoy my series as I write it!

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Prologue

Tom shook out of his sleep as the plane buckled violently, a loud boom interceded his awakening. The sight of flames on the wing startled him, as lightning shot the wing of the plane. A chunk of the plane fell off as the whistling wind tore at it. He looked out at the huge clouds, watching the thick mist pass by, lightning struck out creating an image of a face in the clouds. There were sounds of screaming and yelling, the plane filled with boys and girls. Where was the captain? Where were they? Tom stayed buckled in his seat, watching weird flashbacks pass before his eyes at each lightning bolt. They were on a vacation from school to Polynesia, far from America, to the Pacific Islands. His flashback disappeared like mist burning in sunlight, as the lightning flashed before his eyes. Another final shake of the plane knocked him out, water sprayed against his face, the whistling wind screaming in his ears, the lightning still flashing high above. The plane buckled again, as if it were going over a hill, still speeding its way along. A trickling feeling down his ear caught his attention, putting a finger to his ear he looked at the liquid substance. Blood. Blackness shrouded his sight.


	2. Chapter 1 Island

Chapter 1

Island

Tom awoke wearily, shaking off the abyss of sleep. He got up looking around at the deserted beach, the waves washing up on the sandy shore. Tom was a very tall boy, with soft features, big brown eyes, dark brown hair, tan skin, and long arms an legs. Barely being able to stand the heat he walked into the nearby jungle. He was parched of thirst, is nose was stuffy and his throat itchy. Walking through the green undergrowth, sweat streaming down his face. The sound of waves washing across the shore sounding more and more far away as he continued. The leafy plants blocking his sight through the forest. Dew drops dropped on him, the moist air, and heat squelching him. Hot, cooling sweat coursed down his face. His feet touched moist, wet, mud... _BUMP! _"OW!" "OUCH! Big bafoon, who are you? Don't you know this here is my island, eh?" Tom had run into another boy, with red, sandy hair, his small eyes squinting at him, the boy was most short, his eyes were of a bluish color. "Sorry. Who are you?" Tom said. The boy nodded. "I"m the ruler of this island of course, Chief Josh, pleased to meet ya!" Josh said, shaking his hand. There was loud and abrupt rustling in the nearby bushes, another boy about Toms age popped out of the bushes knocking straight into Josh. _BONK! _The boy looked a lot like Tom, except with smaller eyes and a bit of a bigger nose, he had dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and a sort of far away look in his eye. He looked down at Josh. "Oh, Sorry Chief." Joshes head stuck up out of the undergrowth. "Sorry... SORRY! SORRY you big faced, bobby!" His face was red with anger, freckles sticking out like stars on a pitch black night in the middle of nowhere. "Next time, you'll be more careful ya big baboon! First, I knock into this kid. Then, you! Oh, I just can't believe it... by the way what's your name again?"  
The boy looked down to the floor, then back to the eyes of his Chief. "David."  
Joshs' feet messed about on the floor. "Well, David... David, what a peculiar name... ... and you what's your name?" he said nodding at Tom. Tom smiled, "Tom, pleased to meet you sir." Josh nodded, grinning in a sort of way. "And now, David, Tom... lets get back to the tribe. David..." David looked up. "Lead the way." David walked through the underbrush, quite shyly. seeming to be content to get back to the 'tribe.'

The first thing that greeted them were a few 'Yips' and 'Hiodels.' Two boys and one girl jumped out of the plants in front of them. Josh yelped, hopping into the underbrush. He came out so red that he looked like lava, shaking a fist at the ones who had spooked them. "Rogues! Bandits! Spooking us as if you were the Draknom Tribe." he said, turning around and then turning back again. "You might as well be! The phrase Wild Child fits all three of you perfectly!" They backed off a bit. "Sorry, Chief... we didn't know you was out in the palms."


	3. Chapter 2 Tribe

Chapter 2 ( It took a bit longer for me to write this chapter, pls enjoy!)

Tribe

The small group of buildings was quite amazing for such a small number. There were about 15 huts, each one contained quite a few people, there was one long path leading through it. There was also another building at the end of the camp, it had a higher roof than the others, and a long pole sticking out of the roof. A fire was there in front of it, and sitting around it were other kids, some of them had a sort of face paint on them. Young 'uns ran about on the roof of a hut, and exactly by the hut was a girl, looking as sort of a tom boy, with a rock and small nails of wood, which she was hammering into one of them. Putting the rock down she wiped her hands on her shirt which was tattered and raggedy. Other people were simply walking about the town, one of them was bearing a huge load of fruits. Another was carrying a backpack slung across her back, in it were some fruits that Tom couldn't identify. Other kids started popping out of the forest at odd intervals, going up and introducing themselves to the rest, then simply sitting at the fire, enjoying one of the unknown fruits. Josh got up on a medium sized boulder by the fire, he put both of his hands in the air indicating silence.

"Excuse me! All of you.. ATTENTION EVERYONE!" he yelled out at the crowd of girls and boys, gathered around the fire. "I am afraid, that another plane has crashed on the island, and lots of newcomers our flowing in."  
A boy peeked up from around the fire. "Yeh, I was noticin' it too! There somethin' strange going on 'roung ere."  
Josh scowled. "Yes, there is, and that something is simply that another plane has crashed down on the island!"  
The others around the fire laughed at the scrawny boy who had brought it up. The laughing died down when Josh stomped his foot hard on the huge rock.  
"Now, everyone! Everyone please! I would like all the new people coming to introduce themselves one at a time as I point to 'em." Josh said, his eyes searching the crowds, instantly his eyes went to Tom. "Tom! Tom, you come up here."  
Tom was startled a bit, but after a small while went up upon the rough edged boulder, sand falling from his bare feet as he climbed the small ridge. Standing upright on the boulder he smiled as he looked down on the crowd, very confidently. "Well, I'm Tom. Tom Wills! Pleased to meet you all on this wonderful island, and the most I have to say is, that I was on a field trip coming here, and so are all the other newcomers, and... I want one of those strange fruits your eating... by the way what are they?" The audience raised the fruits, which were brown and furry, and had green insides, which he saw through the bites, and little dark seeds. "Kiwis!" they yelled laughing.  
Tom stepped down from the big rock, as another newcomer stepped up. He stepped into the crowd, blending in with all the raggedy clothed children. One of them tapped his shoulder, passing him a kiwi. "Thanks."  
"Welcome."

Soon enough he had met quite a few people out of the crowd. There was the girl that was building up the hut he had seen. Her name was Matilda, and boy did she have a liking for building, as she had said "I'm born to build! My father taught me all the good aspects and things about building, how do you think I built all these so fast."  
Then there was the boy David, he was quite shy, but a bit rough, he also really liked art and had drawn quite a few pictures with big leaves, and some ash that dried and stuck on the leaves.  
Sally, she was the one that lead a small school for the young 'uns, she was really quite kind, and sincere, had a bit of a temper and was pretty serious about following rules. "I just found out that I liked to teach one day, so I set out at teaching the young 'uns. Math, Reading, Basically everything!"  
Greg, the one that had passed him a kiwi, was quite a comical little fellow, who enjoyed jokes and games. He was also an excellent story teller, many of the people loved his stories and would cheer him on to tell a story by the fire each night.  
He also found Lily, his little 7 year old sister, walking around with a kiwi. "Lily!" he cried when he found her, hugging her. "I'd almost forgotten all about you."  
"Tom, is that you? Tom, where have you been? I've been walking around this pig sty, picking things up and throwing putting 'em in a proper place, and you... what have you been doing?" Lily said.  
Tom almost burst into tears as he told her his story.

Tom took a bite from his kiwi he marched off to the outside of the jungle, a little ways away from the small village. He climbed up a huge tree that he had been leaning against. Passing greenery and twigs, a face came out of the leaves in front of him. "Oh!"  
The girl nearly jumped out of the tree, hanging onto the branch she was hanging from, her face seeming worried as she hung in mid-air. Tom reached out grabbing her arm, and bringing her back to the tree. "Be Careful!"

Tom looked out of the leaves at the branch she was on. Suddenly he smiled. _Wow, what a beautiful girl! _he thought. Her brown hair, hung from her head, straight and long. Her eyes were like fire, looking through Tom, as he hung there staring at her. She looked to be about his age, and was about his same height.  
She smiled back at him. Tom was nervous as a fiddle suddenly, feeling that if he said something wrong he would fall out of the tree embarrassed.  
Laughing the girl swung on a branch. "My name's Liana, but everyone calls me Lia. What's your name?"  
"Tom!" he yelled. Shaking his head he corrected himself. "Tom Wills."  
"Nice to meet you, Tom Wills. I've been picking quite a few fruits up here. Would you mind helping me?"  
Tom nodded. "No problem." He began climbing high into the tree picking fruits as he went Lia beckoning him higher. 


	4. Chapter 3 A Tale Untold

Chapter 3

A Tale Untold

Night brought its silver glowing moon, and cloak of stars to shroud the blueness of the day, the sunset on the horizon tinted blue, with a bit of purple dashed here or there, the clouds orange tinted. To the east the darkness continued to travel towards the island, to shroud it in gloomy mist and cool off the days heat. Josh was seated in his tent, looking out at the fire nervously. The torches in the village had been lit after the long day, to light the dark huts. He took out a long piece of bark, that looked as if it were ripped off a palm tree. He read the text that had been carved into it so long ago, it started way back when they had first come on the island. He put it away, fearing that the newcomers would soon find it, and learn of a cruel history.  
"I have to tell them sooner or later, or they'll find out soon enough." he said, walking out of his hut.

Tom stood on the top of a small cliff, looking out to the sea, his eyes strayed through the multiple waves that continued to bombard the shores below. _Stranded on this island, with only other kids for company. Not a grown up in sight! _he thought ruefully. _Everyone thinks that being stranded on this island is a gift... which it probably is... but something gives me a feeling they're hiding something. _he thought, turning it over in his mind. A salty breeze over the tide rushed over him, making him shiver slightly, and cooling him off. He walked off along the cliffs, being wary of his step lest he cause the cliffside to crumble. Then he saw a strange silhouetted shape cross over the sands below, it looked to be that of a man, or a boy, but either way it seemed all the same that the shape was human. He stared at it for a while, as it stood there looking to the camp. He squinted painfully, his eyes were not yet accustomed to the darkness, but after a minute or two he could make out the shape more. Obviously it was a boy, spear in hand, with dark stripes of... something... on its skin. Carefully, Tom followed it, still walking along the cliff side. It continued to pace towards the town, changing speeds at multiple times as if not to disturb anyone. An odd feeling in Toms' head told him something was wrong. Swiftly he picked up a large pebble, and was about to fling it at the shadow, when a hand grabbed his arm pulling him into the bushes nearby, started he searched in the dark for the person who had grabbed him, kicking out at dark shadows. "Shh... quiet! He'll here us!" it said.  
"Who are you?" Tom yelped.  
"It's me, Lia. Now stop trying to kick me and listen!" she said.  
Tom calmed down, saying. "What are you doing here, Lia? You nearly made me think of jumping off the cliff!"  
Lia giggled. "Sorry, I was trying to get your attention."  
Tom nodded. "Well? What's the matter?" he said.  
"It's Khan's tribe!"  
"What?'  
"Khan's Tribe, hasn't the chief told you already!"  
"No, what's Khan's Tribe?"  
"It's a long story... we have to get back to the village!"  
"Alright, come on!"

They reached the village fifteen minutes later, and their report to the chief was successful, but he would not tell them of what had happened long ago.  
"I don't know what your talking about Lia, all this talk of Khan's Tribe is complete nonsense! You let this alone and let me deal with it!" The Chief said. Tom and Lia, left the chiefs hut heading for the cliffs again.  
"Well," Lia said. "Not much we can do now..."  
"But, you could tell me what happened. And why the chief wants it all hidden." Tom interrupted.  
Lia sighed heavily, stopping the march up to the cliffs. "Well it all started long ago, when we were all one tribe, and we had barely come to the island, lost and on our own we tried to survive, learning each others weaknesses and strengths, and then one day we all agreed that there ought to be a chief, there was a vote and Josh was chosen... I had a brother then. Khan, Josh's brother... his real name is Brad... he wanted power, he wanted to be chief, so he left with a few others to form his own tribe. Eventually he became more and more power hungry and came to try and kill Josh, it was a duel to the death, and Khan had Josh pinned to the ground, then my brother, Brian... he attacked Khan, and Khan killed him..." At this tears came to her eyes. "...war broke out, people killed without mercy, even I had been affected by it, and I searched the island over for Khan... see this." she said, pulling a stone knife out of her pocket. "I used this, in my hunting, I killed... three... wounded him once, but never got at him, finally my rage halted, and after that I mourned for days and days, that was when our tribe finally came to peace, three or four battles intervened but that was about it, we lived in peace ever since... then you came along." Tears had been coursing down her cheeks but came to a halt.  
Tom felt sorry for her, seeming to know a pain he had never felt before. Walking her down to the beach they sat out on the sand, watching the tide rise and fall in silver moonlight.  
Lia could not help but feel safe round Tom. Around him everything seemed to change... no more hate... no more anger... hardly a tint of sorrow. It all left her mind when she heard his voice.  
"It would be best if we got off the beach, let the village guards do the job." Tom said, getting up and walking slowly back to the village.  
Lia got up startled. "Yes... lets go." 


	5. Chapter 4 Death, Fire, Blood

Chapter 4

Death, Fire, Blood...

Tom jumped with a start, awakening from the nightmare in his head. He gazed into the fire he had fallen asleep by, looking up to the chiefs hut. He was still holding his cooking stick, the unfinished piece of kelp still stuck on the end. He shook it off, watching it fall into the fire. Looking up at the bright sparkling stars in the sky above, as he wondered, and thought. Suddenly it all hit him... they were stuck on the island forever! He had not yet thought of the chance of escape, he was to busy gathering info about what had happened before, and he had been to busy with... well, the island. With all its beautiful scenic views, and wonderful rivers of clear water, it made you forget about home.  
A sudden shout behind startled him, but just as he turned to see who it was, darkness enveloped him. Looking about fearfully he saw the fires embers scattered and heard the inexplicable cries of war.  
"Burn, the huts! Kill the weaklings! Raze this village to the ground!"  
"Kill! Kill! Kill, Kill, Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill, kill, kill!"  
"Death! Fire! Blood!"  
The chants and bloodcurdling shouts enveloped him, and some sort of animal was on him. No... it wasn't an animal... it was a normal boy. The boy snarled, coughing spit into his face, a cold point stinging at his neck. Tom jumped out at him, beating his face, bruising him badly, and giving him a bloodied nose. Leaping off him in cruel excitement he went for another target, giving him a sweeping blow in the ribs, and suddenly being enveloped in a crowd of other savages, each one with stabbing stone knives. Lunging in every direction to get free of the crowd, his face being bludgeoned by other fists, they were all upon him. Holding him down one had him at knife point, but Tom pushed him off with a kick of his legs, and was greeted with a yelp of pain from the same savage. Feeling them closing in, their stenching breath rolling upon him, hardly able to breath, he jabbed out with a last bit of strength, unable to keep up the fight against the slaughter. Another jumped on him, they rolled beneath the crowd, beating furiously. Tom rolled on top of his enemy, cuffing his hands around his neck, and squeezing hard, choking miserably. Blood sputtered out of the victims mouth onto Toms face, and finally seeing his enemies pain he jumped off. A fight evolved around him, suddenly there were many others with stabbing knives, killing some of the enemies that had leapt upon him, among them was Lia, wielding knife in one hand, and torch in the other, burning the savages with the flames. Many others were like this, including David, who had leapt upon a boy with black stripes all over him, bludgeoning him with a torch, but then letting him go soon after. Soon there were cries of "Fall Back! Fall Back! Back to the forest!"  
"Put down your weapons, they win this round!"  
"Retreat! Retreat!"  
Soon enough they all fell away, running back into the forest, some falling suddenly, a spear protruding from their back, in a steady retreat. The number of dead, and wounded left was appalling. Many bloody bodies were strewn over the sand, some with horrid burns and others covered with wet blood. Some with necks slit, others with broken bones and bruises, tired out lying on the floor.  
Some of the savages were standing with hands up, their weapons lying about them, many boys surrounding them, spears pointing at the captives. The chief stepped up walking to David. "How many of ours dead?"  
"Three, sir."  
"Wounded?"  
"Five."  
"How many of theirs dead?"  
"Fifteen."  
"How many wounded?"  
"None, the wounded all ran off."  
"Captives?"  
"Seven."  
Josh walked up to the captives, examining each one of them. "So? Why did you attack us?" he said.  
"Don't answer him!" one murmured to another.  
Tom jumped suddenly. "Lily? Where's Lily? Lily?" Looking frantically around for his sister, he looked down at the massacre, and found her dead body among the mess. Her body was trampled over and a knife was sticking up out from her wound, her eyes were still open her face a picture of fright. He knelt down, looking into her eyes frantically, and shaking her. "Lily! Lily! Say your still there! Lily! Lily! Wake up! Don't leave, please don't leave. Lily!" he screamed frantically. He suddenly felt as if he could lay down and die, a sick feeling in his stomach at the blood strewn across her face.  
The color left her face slowly, but Tom still did not turn away. Kneeling down by his sister, the sad truth stung him, tears began to stream down his face. His sister... dead. 


	6. Chapter 5 An Oath Unbroken

Chapter 5

An Oath Unbroken

Tom knelt on the face of the beach, looking out to sea, where the body of Lily had been thrown. Tears continued streaming down his face, his eyes bloodshot, and his nose bleeding slightly. A hand touched his shoulder lightly, seeming to send a calming wave of energy through his body. Still, he was depressed. "I know it's you Lia." Tom said.  
Lia knelt down beside him, looking in the same direction as he. She sighed. "You've been sitting here ever since the funeral, yesterday."  
Tom stayed silent, still solemnly looking into the cruel dark sea, his eyes a fierce scowl that could pierce any human heart.  
Still, Lia tried her best to comfort him, saying. "You can't sit here and waste your life away."  
Toms depression grew into anger. "What is life? Why should I live it? I might as well jump off that high cliff, plunging into the sea, and lost in its darkest abyss forever!"  
Lia said. "You know your not going to though, don't you."  
Toms anger grew feverish. "I wish I could!" he said.  
"No you don't." she said, calmly.  
It seemed as if his hatred had burned down completely at the end of her sentence. He wanted to be angry, wanted the fire of mad hatred to kindle brightly so he could continue looking into the sea with uncontrollable hatred, but somehow he couldn't. He thought suddenly of how much the sea had given to him, and then how much it had taken away.  
A burning flame, awakened again, but not against the sea, but against the Scourge of Khan. The flame grew hotter, and hotter, until it seemed to burn away all feeling for Khan, that loathsome, slimy, cruel, stone hearted, scum.  
"I will kill you Khan! I oath on that... my knife will stab your heart, I will have vengeance! I will!" he yelled. The words echoed through the jungle, and over the small meadows and plains, and beaches of the island. Streaming over the sea in a thunderous voice. It echoed for what seemed like an hour, and then silenced.

Suddenly Tom realized how hungry he was, now that his anger had receded. A starving rumble sounded from his belly, and a burning parch of thirst entered his throat.  
"You'll regret that Tom..." she said. "...I know you will."

Back at the village, many of the boys were competing at a game they called, Trello. In which they played on a large field, between two cliffs. The objective was to knock the ball (which was a hard coconut) off of one of the two cliffs. Sort of like a game of soccer, except you could use your hands, and grab the ball from each other.

Most of the girls had been doing the normal things they usually did, such as weaving crude baskets, foraging fruits, taking care of little ones, and simply playing about with friends.  
Tom had been sitting at the fire, eating roasted fish, fruit, and cooked kelp. He had been so hungry, he'd nearly forgotten about Lily's death. Lia had ran off with her one of her friends to help out with a problem with the little ones, who had obviously gotten into some sort of tussle.  
Tom continued eating, ignoring the shouting and yelling of the boys playing Trello. Turning of the words Lia had said in his mind. "_You'll regret that Tom... I know you will." _ Why would he regret it? It would be the death of one of the most horrid people on the island. Ignoring her warning he continued eating, bringing another thing to thought as he bit into a peeled mango.  
What weapons could he use against this tyrant? Obviously the tribe had not yet organized an army to start a war with the evil beasts that lived somewhere deep in the forest. They had some crude stone knives, and wooden spears with no tips, simply a sharp end. These weapons were still not enough, a full melee battle was indeed bloody and dangerous. A ranged battle would do much battle, but even though they had throwing spears, they were still not the ranged weapon he expected. Suddenly his thoughts went to the uncooked seaweed sitting next to him, He picked one up rubbing it through his hands. It seemed very leathery for most seaweed he had felt. He called to one of the girls walking by.  
"Excuse me. Do you know what this is?" he said.  
She looked at it strangely. "Well, certainly its a type of seaweed, lemme hold it."  
Tom passed the seaweed to the girl. She nodded. "Hmmm... luckily for you my father was a marine biologist. Its some sort of species of seaweed... could you pass me that rock right there." she said.  
Tom picked up the rock tossing into her hands. Carefully catching it the girl placed the small rock in the seaweed, rubbing the seaweed against it.  
:"Hmmm... looks like no species of seaweed I've ever seen! It seems hardier than most seaweeds."  
She said, as she placed the seaweed and the rock in his hands.  
Tom placed the rock back into the seaweed, holding the seaweeds ends and twirling it like a sling, swiftly he let go one end, holding the other, and at the same time making a throwing movement towards the sea. The small pebble, flew through the air, going straight over the cliffs edge.  
"Wow!" exclaimed the girl. "A sling!"

Tom pointed abruptly at the girl. "You! What's your name?"  
"Stephanie... Stephanie Tam." she said.  
"Well, Stephanie my lass... You'll be our new weapons maker." he said.  
"Really!" she said. "For who?"

"An army..." he said. "... a huge army."


End file.
